Ansel Elgort denies accusation of sexual assault
Note: The following article contains discussion of sexual misconduct allegations that some readers may find upsetting.
Ansel Elgort has denied an accusation of sexual assault made against him.
The actor has posted a statement to Instagram following an allegation on Twitter from an individual who said that they had been sexually assaulted by him in 2014, when they were 17 and he was 20.
Elgort wrote that he was "distressed to see the social media posts about [him] that have been circulating in the past 24 hours" and said that the woman's "description of events is simply not what happened".
"I have never and would never assault anyone," he said, adding that he and the girl did have "a brief, legal and entirely consensual relationship".
"Unfortunately, I did not handle the breakup well. I stopped responding to her, which is an immature and cruel thing to do to someone. I know this belated apology does not absolve me of my unacceptable behavior when I disappeared," he wrote.
"As I look back at my attitude, I am disgusted and deeply ashamed of the way I acted. I am truly sorry. I know I must continue to reflect, learn, and work to grow in empathy."
The alleged victim had claimed in a statement on Twitter – which has since been deleted – that she had sent a direct message to the actor, who she was a fan of, in 2014 and that he had replied and shared details of his private Snapchat account with her.
A post shared by @ansel on Jun 20, 2020 at 6:36pm PDT
She said that the actor had then assaulted her and that she has spent years dealing with panic attacks and going to therapy (Metro).
She also shared a photo of what appeared to be herself with the actor and screenshots of some messages she alleged were between her and the actor.
Elgort is known for his roles in The Divergent Series, The Fault in our Stars, Baby Driver and The Goldfinch.
Rape Crisis England and Wales works towards the elimination of all forms of sexual violence and sexual misconduct. If you've been affected by the issues raised in this story, you can access more information on their website or by calling the National Rape Crisis Helpline on 0808 802 9999. Rape Crisis Scotland's helpline number is 08088 01 03 02.
Readers in the US are encouraged to contact RAINN, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800-656-4673.
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